No Greater Love
by EleanorGardner
Summary: ENDGAME SPOILERS! An expanded imagining of the tragic events on Vormir.


**Anything recognizable belongs to Marvel.**

* * *

They had almost succeeded. Almost.

Only one thing remained for her to do.

One last sacrifice.

_Whatever it takes,_ Steve had said.

And this was the price that had to be paid.

Nat's mind whirled, her thoughts writhing, a storm-cloud within her head. A soul for a soul, the cloaked figure had rasped. She knew now what that meant. Only one of them could return home, and it would not be her.

It couldn't be her.

If it was her, that would mean that Clint had sacrificed himself, leaped off the edge into oblivion. And she would not be able to live with herself if he was not there for her. It was selfish, she knew. But he had always been there for her, since the night they first met. The night when she had been covered with blood, drowning in the red that followed her every day of her life, and every moment of her existence as the Black Widow.

He had seen the good in her that she could not see in herself. He had pulled her back from the edge, and had helped her move on. He had done so much for her.

Now she would do this for him.

—

The figure behind them had told them what was required, and Clint was ready to pay the price.

He couldn't let Nat be the one, not when he had sunk so low. Laura would understand. She would know that he would not be able to live with himself or the things he had done. She would know that he could not just pretend that the last five years had never happened. He had done things he was not proud of. He had descended deep into darkness, and this was the only way to bring back the light.

Nat, at least, was on a better road. She had a chance to succeed, a chance that she deserved after what she had gone through. She had found peace, a family, a home among the rest of the team. For the first time in years, she had looked genuinely happy, free from the guilt that had been with her for so long. He could not bear to think of her broken, body bruised and bloodied on the ground. It would break his heart to see her that way, after all she had worked for, after how far she had come.

Now he would do this for her.

—

_"I guess we both know who it's gotta be."_

She could see the resolve solidify in his eyes, could sense it in the tension of his muscles.

He was going to let her live, but she would not let him die.

_"I guess we do."_

Reaching for his hand, Nat drew him closer, and they stood together silently for a moment.

"I'm starting to think we need different people here," Clint whispered, a wry smile on his face. "Natasha..."

"The last five years I've been trying to do one thing... get to right here. That's all it's been about, bringing everybody back," she pleaded, trying to make him understand.

"Don't you get all decent on me now."

"What, you think I want to do it? I'm trying to save your life, you idiot," she joked, heart breaking.

"Yeah, well I don't want you to, cause... ah, Natasha, you know what I've done. You know what I've become," he whispered brokenly.

"Well, I don't judge people on their worst mistakes," Nat replied.

"Maybe you should."

"You didn't," she said as she looked at him, her eyes filled with memory and tears.

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that?"

_Oh, Clint... _

Nodding softly as she stared into his eyes, Nat leaned her forehead against his with a sigh. Eyes closed, they stood this way, silently saying goodbye.

"Ok, you win."

Relief flooded her veins. He would live, like he deserv—

She slammed onto her back, her legs knocked out from under her. Pinning her to the ground with his hand, Clint's eyes bored into her as he spoke.

"Tell my family I love them."

Shock at his move hammered into her, and she knew she had to move quickly to regain her advantage. She grabbed him and flipped him over, reversing their positions as she fired up her Widow Bites.

"You tell them yourself!"

She nearly spat out her words, frightened that he would even think to go through with this. He had so much to lose...

Without hesitation, Nat fired at him, electricity crackling and popping across his skin where it hit.

Turning away, she sprinted toward the edge of the stone, only to be knocked to down by an explosion.

Clint had regained his feet, and had shot one of his explosive arrows toward her. Stunned, she lay there, watching as he ran past her silently, his eyes locked on hers.

And jumped.

Only for her to jump after him, catching him as they fell, and shooting a lifeline into the stone above their heads.

—

They slammed against the wall.

And Clint almost lost his grip on her. He held her as tightly as he could, unable to move, lest they both fall. But horribly, agonizingly, she released her grip on his arm, till the only thing holding her was him.

"Let me go," she whispered, gaze fixed on his.

"No!"

Terror and anguish flooded through him. "No, please no," he begged, shaking his head.

"It's ok," she whispered, tears filling her voice as she smiled sadly at him.

"Please!"

—

With one last look, Nat planted her feet against the stone and wrenched away, falling backwards into oblivion.

Hair floating in the air about her face, she drifted downward, away from him. A small smile played on her lips. She had succeeded. Clint was alive. That was all that mattered. _Whatever it takes,_ Steve had said. She hoped he understood that.

_It's ok._

* * *

**Endgame was so amazing! It was 3000 times what I could have ever imagined. But this was the last thing I was expecting, and it hit me so hard. Therefore, the obvious solution was to write something that would break everyone's hearts just a little bit more. In a way, it was cathartic to explore more deeply what Nat was thinking and feeling at this time.**

**I hope you enjoyed reading this little expansion scene!**

**See my other story, A Mother's Heart, for an expansion from Thor: The Dark World. I also plan on writing a few more expansions for Endgame, so keep an eye out for those!**

**\- EleanorGardner**


End file.
